Conventional covers for a crib, a hospital bed, a waterbed, and the like must be frequently removed, washed and then tucked back in place. This has been a cumbersome and inconvenient procedure, particularly in connection with a crib with vertical restraining bars or supports along its sides and a mattress which fits fairly tightly between the bars. The tight fit between the mattress and the bars makes it difficult to tuck conventional covers in place.
Allison, U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,026, addresses this problem by using a panel which can be separately removed and replaced. But the panel is essentially as long as the mattress and is therefore difficult to handle. Since the location at which a bed will be soiled can often be predicted, it is more convenient to use a shorter panel which can be positioned at a desired location along the length of the mattress.
Ferolito, U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,976, and Yancofski, U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,273, disclose examples of such short protective panels. But, to secure Ferolito's panel in place, a complicated and inconvenient arrangement is required. Additionally, Ferolito's panel cannot be conveniently used with a bottom sheet. Yancofski's panel is not secured in place at all.
Further, in the prior art, dust ruffles are conventionally supported between a mattress and a set of springs or the like. The dust ruffle must be assembled beneath the mattress and the mattress must then be covered by a separate mattress cover. This is a cumbersome and inconvenient arrangement.